Green cause
Sir: If Michael Cullup wants to pursue a career in journalism he ought to start by getting his facts right (`Savage Greenery', 10 February).
Last year Friends of the Earth, mindful of the effects of dualling in this case, commissioned an engineer to come up with a short deviation to the Department of Transport's cross-country route; one which would avoid both sensitive wildlife sites and people's homes. Our alternative re- ceived no support at a local exhibition we organised, but we also came in for a great deal of criticism from the many Wymond- ham people who support the dualling.
The Lizard area deserves protection because it is the only attractive spot in a parish decimated of all features by inten- sive agriculture. The Lizard and Oxford commons, through which the road will pass, were given to the town residents over 300 years ago (not the gravel pit sites as Mr Cullup mistakenly believes) and are held in trust for the benefit of the parish. This constitutes a somewhat dubious arrange- ment as the trust, referred to locally as 'The Wymondham Mafia' sold the grazing rights and therefore can rightly claim that the land no longer has common status. Would Mr Cullup entrust any of his prop- erty to a trust whose clerk said 'The trustees can do exactly what they like, they are in absolute control'?
The debate over people versus wildlife is superficial and becoming very tiresome. I hardly need to point out spiralling traffic growth upon people; the loss of life and injury caused by road accidents; commun-
LETTERS
ity serverance; the effects of vehicle emmi- sions upon human health and its contribu- tion to acid rain; and global warming with their insidious consequences on human populations. These are matters which the Department of Transport arrogantly ignored in their plans to demolish 2,500 homes in London. Together with the Road Lobby they are the true fanatics and not the environmental groups which make every effort to work with local people.
Denise Carlo
Norfolk Friends of the Earth, Development and Environment Centre, 38-40 Exchange Street, Norwich
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